The awards season kicked off last night with the 20th Annual Gotham Indpendent Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. It’s one of the biggest film events in New York and its purpose is to spotlight exceptional feature and documentary independent films from the past year and help new audiences discover their work. This year’s Best Documentary prize was awarded to Laura Poitras’ highly acclaimed film Citizenfour, about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Poitras, who is Executive Producer of Candescent supported

The awards season kicked off last night with the 20th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. It’s one of the biggest film events in New York and its purpose is to spotlight exceptional feature and documentary independent films from the past year and help new audiences discover their work. This year’s Best Documentary prize was awarded to Laura Poitras’ highly acclaimed film Citizenfour, about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Poitras, who is Executive Producer of Candescent supported film 1971, also won the New York Film Critics Award just hours before and also received a Spirit Award nomination for Citizenfour. The other Gotham documentary nominees included Life Itself, Manakamana, and Point and Shoot. Best Feature was awarded to Birdman starring Michael Keaton (who also won best actor); Ana Lily Amirpour took home Breakthrough Director Award (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night); Julianne Moore for Best Actress (Still Alice); and Tessa Thompson for Breakthrough Actor (Dear White People). Many Gotham nominees and winners have in fact gone on to win or be nominated for Oscars (e.g. Inside Llewyn Davis, The Act of Killing, Beasts of the Southern Wilde, 12 Years a Slave) and this year will be no different. To see the complete list of winners, click here. Congrats to all winners and nominees!

film1971, also won the New York Film Critics Award just hours before and also received a Spirit Award nomination for Citizenfour. The other Gotham documentary nominees included Life Itself, Manakamana, andPoint and Shoot. Many Gotham nominees and winners have in fact gone on to win or be nominated for Oscars (e.g. The Act of Killing, Beasts of the Southern Wilde, How to Survive a Plague, Food Inc.) and this year will be no different. To see the complete list of winners, click here. Congrats to all winners and nominees!